Wall-index.



Patented lune 25, 190|.

No. 677,I53.

A. E. BECKWITH.

W A L L l N D E X.

(Application ld Sept. 17, 1900.)

ATTORNEY.

(No Model.)

W/ TNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANSEL E. BECKWITH, OF NORlVICI-I, CONNECTICUT.

WALL-INDEX.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 677,153, dated lune25, 1901.

Application led September 17, 1900. Serial No. 20,252.l (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANSEL E. BECKWITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Norwich, in the county of New London and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in\VallIndexes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention has for its object the production of a wall-index of theclass specially adapted for use in connection with telephones and thelike purposes, where a readily-manipulated index is desirable.

The leaves of the index are interchangeable and are so connected withthe back section that they may be removed separately and replaced byother leaves as changes in the index may demand. The complete index isadapted to be secured to the wall at the proper elevation to permit ofits being readily consulted, and its leaves are hinged to the back plateat a slight angle to the latter, so that when the index is secured inposition, as just mentioned, the leaves Will be inclined slightlybackward at the top, thus permitting the said leaves to be readilymanipulated and causing them to remain in any position to which they maybe adjusted.

To assist in explaining myinvention, I have provided the accompanyingsheet of drawings, illustrating the same, as follows:

Figure l is a front elevation of my newlyinvented index, and Fig. 2 is aside elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the saidindex on an enlarged scale and taken somewhat above the lower hingedconnection of the leaves with the back plate. Fig. 4 is a frontelevation of the upper portion of the said plate and serves toillustrate a slight modification of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, the letter a denotes the back plate, which ispreferably struck up from sheet met-al and is provided at its edge witha flange a', which serves to sti Een the plate and improve theappearance of the same* Near its upper and lower ends the plate a isproperly cut or punched to allow the metal to be bent outwardly from theface of the plate to provide the ledges b and c. These ledges bear ontheir front faces Wire hooks d, the shank portions of which are re.

ceived in and secured to the said ledges. The hooks d of the ledge b arein alinement'with those of the ledge c and provide hinge-supports forthe leaves f. Each leaf f at its rear edge and near its upper and lowerends is provided with perforations f', of which the upper perforation isadapted to be engaged by a hook CZ of the ledgeb and the lowerperforation with a hook d of the ledge c, which latter hook d is inalinement with the firstnamed hook d. The perforations f are preferablyreinforced and strengthened by metal eyelets f2. XVhen a leaf f ishinged in position in the manner just mentioned, said leaf is free to beswung upon the bow portions of the hooks (l, so that either face of thesaidl leaf may be presented to view.

The insertion or removal of the leaves is accomplished by passing theperforated edge of each leaf over the end of the hook, and to preventthe leaves from accidentally leaving their respective hooks the openingsleading to the hooks of each ledge arel closed by means of a plate g,hinged to the said ledge in such manner that it may be swung downward topartly overlap the hook, as shown.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the plates g are shown as hinged to the upper faceof the ledge, in which case the said plates may be rocked backwardtoward the back a, and such form of plateris my preferred construction;but, if desired, the plate g may be hinged at one end of the ledge, asshown in Fig. 4L. In connection :with my preferred form of plate g aspring g may be provided, which shall act to hold the said platenormallyin its downward position-that is to say, so as to close the bowportions of the hooks.

The ledge c projects farther from the back ct than does the ledge b,thus causing the leaves f to incline somewhat backward at the top andcausing them to remain in any open position to which they may be turned.I have found it advisable in some instances to prevent the leaves f fromswinging too far backward, and in order to accomplish this I haveprovided on the ledge c (at its opposite ends) an outwardly-extendingarm d', which arms are adapted to engage the said leaves and limit theirmovementin either direction. The arms d are preferably of sheet metalIOS and may be sprung backward somewhat, if necessary, in order topermit the insertion 0r removal of the leaves f.

My newly-invented index as a Whole is of very simple construction, maybe-very cheapl57 produced, and is easily operated.

Having thus described my invention, I claim* In a Wall-index, incombination, a back plate having struck up thereon an upper ledge l) anda somewhat-wider lower ledge c, a multiple of hooks located in each ofsaid ledges, leaves having perforations adapted in hinged relation tothe said hooks, all substantially as specified.

Signed at Norwich, Connecticut, this 11th zo day of September, 1900.

ANSEL E. BEGKWI'IH.

lVitnesses:

FRANK H. ALLEN, ALONZO M. LUTHER.

